Clubs: Animal Rights Club

When senior Molly Segal's mother took her across the border to a small town in Mexico in 2002, what she saw there both shocked and disgusted her. "Imagine a desert and instead of cacti dotting the horizon, [dying] dogs and cats everywhere," she says.

Segal became even more depressed when she found out that bus drivers were told to drive directly towards the stray animals. Segal's mother, also deeply disturbed by what she saw, began an organization called Paws Across the Border, Inc. to improve the quality of life of such animals.

Taking action on issues such as animal abuse was the primary reason that Segal, President and founder of Animal Rights Club, created the group.

Animal Rights Club began as the Vegetarian Club according to Segal, who decided to change the club’s name in order to give non-vegetarian animal lovers the opportunity to participate.

The club, which Segal founded approximately two years ago, has since fought against violence towards animals. Segal believes the club has made progress by encouraging pet adoption, getting people to stop eating meat and elevating awareness of animal cruelty. “We’ve changed a mind here or there,” Segal said.

The club has also raised funds for animal aid organizations such as Paws Across the Border, Inc. and collected cat and dog food for the pets of Hurricane Katrina victims.

Senior member Katrina Comisiak thinks the club has “opened her eyes” to the problems of animal maltreatment. Although when she originally joined it was because of her best friend’s participation in the club, Comisiak says the club has really affected her. “I stand up more now against animal abuse,” Comisiak says.

Besides organizing activities with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and protesting the ill-treatment of animals, Comisiak volunteers at a horse and donkey clinic for abused animals every weekend.

In addition to helping her become a more outspoken advocate for animal rights, Comisiak says that involvement in the club has made her feel like a better pet owner as well. “It kind of goes along with the territory [of owning a pet,]” she says.